Standards & Bantams sharing one coop

[augustmomx2]

So, I nonchalantly mentioned to dh, that I want to purchase a bator & bantie hatching eggs. He said "That's fine"

I also mentioned to dh that I may want a seperate coop/run (we live on 3/4 acre in our metro area) & he said "No, I'm not having chicken coops scattered around my yard."

So, I figured I better not push my luck, quite yet and see if I can have my standards & banties coexist peacefully. Currently, I have a 4wk old flock & thought maybe next Spring I would attempt hatching a few banties. The option of expanding my run & coop are a possibility as well.

What are your experiences in combining the two? TIA!

 

[lurky]

It would have been better to get the bantams first. I have mine in seperate areas because the standards are bigger and can be mean. I have one coop divided and they each have a run. I think you should try to divide what you have for space. They dont need to be all over the yard.............i live on 3/4 acre and there completely out of the way and both have very big runs.

 

[augustmomx2]

Quote:
Good to know! I actually have a large area on the other side of my coop and I may expand the coop a bit & add an additional run. I was afraid the standards would be mean to the banties. I figured its just in their nature. Thanks for the info!

 

[morelcabin]

I have tried a few times to mix them. If they are reaised together from chicks they do okay EXCEPT the biggest rooster always seems to pick the littlest bantam to be his fulltime gal...and she really ends up abused

 

[Jennie5193]

I've just had to move my bantams out of the pen with the big guys. The ones they were raised with are okay with them, but I added some older hens to the flock and they mercilessly pick on the pair of cochins (one is frizzled).

I am planning this very moment a way to make a separate area for the two of them to live without having to be pecked on by the bigger birds. Right now, they're in a dog kennel at night and in a tractor during the day.

I would suggest going ahead and having somewhere separate for them since they won't be being "raised" together.

Good luck! They're so cute!

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

Depends on what kind of bantams you want to get. Old English bantams can usually hold their own. They got a good ~take no lip~ attitude towards other chickens. I had a red OE rooster once that kept trying to mate my Royal Palm Turkey hen. lol